HCDA

In a recent article in CivilBeat, Mayor Caldwell expressed his agreement with Mufi Hannemann’s proposal to return the management of future development for Kakaako to the City and County of Honolulu. Read more excerpts from Denby Fawcett’s article:

Former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, running for governor on the Hawaii Independent Party ticket, says that he hears from residents on every island that there needs to be more careful government oversight over Kakaako.“You don’t have to be from Oahu to be concerned about Kakaako,” said Hannemann, when I spoke with him by cell phone on Lanai where he was campaigning this weekend.

Mufi Hannemann says if he’s elected he would propose that all development rights for Kakaako area be taken away from the governor-appointed HCDA board of directors and returned to the City and County of Honolulu.Hannemann says with the city in charge, it will be easier to demand concessions from Kakaako’s developers for more affordable housing and additional park space in return for permits.Hannemann says the city will be able to “put more teeth in the ‘ask.’

”Hannemann says there will be more safeguards and more transparency resulting in “orderly planned growth in Kakaako consistent with home rule.”Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell favors Hannemann’s plan to return Kakaako development management to the city.